When Divine Physician Kang heard Kang Zhaolong's analysis, a trace of regret stirred in him. Had he known it would come to this, he would have eaten it himself from the start—what need had there been to let Kang Zhaoming eat it?

"A second possibility: perhaps, on its way to being tossed into the rubbish bin, this elixir met with some mishap of which we know nothing—someone mixed dog filth into it, or it was accidentally mingled with dog filth. That is possible too," said Kang Zhaolong. "But no matter how you look at it, dog filth cannot be the Elixir of Longevity and Detoxification. Our line of research was wrong!" Divine Physician Kang said not a single word, his face dark and grim. In truth, he did not know what to say either. Thank heavens this had happened within the Kang family and no outsider had learned of it; otherwise they would have laughed until their teeth fell out!

The whole Kang household, old and young alike, had collectively eaten dog shit. It was simply the grandest joke under heaven.

By this time Kang Zhaoming had finished his business in the toilet and returned to the study. "How is it? Have you reached any conclusion?"

"What you ate before was most likely not all dog filth, but there is no way to verify it now," Divine Physician Kang said simply. "In any case, the Elixir of Longevity and Detoxification is not dog filth, and this matter ends here. Not one of you is to breathe a word of it!"

Kang Guifeng, Kang Zhaolong and the rest all nodded. As if that needed saying—who would go around telling people about something so disgraceful?

"Zhaolong, as for your marriage to the Xiao family's Wang Xinyan, I think we had better put it on the agenda and press it forward at once!"

"Then in the next few days I'll go to Yanjing, deliver the betrothal gifts, and settle the engagement?" Kang Zhaolong was deeply disappointed as well. He had thought the Kang family was about to soar, and in the end it had all come to nothing.

"Mm. It is only an engagement, after all, so I won't go. Guifeng, you take Zhaolong there." Divine Physician Kang gave the order to his eldest son, Kang Guifeng.

"Yes, Father."

Kang Guifeng nodded.

"There is one more thing. Cuipu, I am entrusting it to you!" Divine Physician Kang turned to look at Kang Cuipu.

Kang Cuipu was taken aback. By rights, he was the family's profligate wastrel; apart from eating, drinking and amusing himself all day long, there was nothing of consequence he was capable of doing. So why had his father, for the first time in his life, seen fit to assign him a task?

Still, he was delighted. Though the Elixir of Longevity and Detoxification had not been deciphered, thanks to Kang Zhaoming's earlier meddling, the two of them, father and son, had plainly risen in Divine Physician Kang's estimation.

"Dad, just say the word—I'll do my utmost!" Kang Cuipu hastily pledged.

"You have a great many friends out there in society, so keep a close watch on news of Kang Xiaobo's family for me! Since that friend of Kang Xiaobo's was able to obtain the Elixir of Longevity and Detoxification, he must know some master of extraordinary abilities. Find out whom they have been in contact with. If such a master truly exists, we must dig him out and make him serve us!" said Divine Physician Kang.

"That's my specialty. Leave the intelligence gathering to me!" Kang Cuipu thumped his chest again and again in promise.

And so the matter was settled. The farce of Divine Physician Kang's household trying to crack the Elixir of Longevity and Detoxification drew to a temporary close. But Divine Physician Kang had not given up hope. The elixir stood for money and status; if the Kang family could truly master it, they would never remain at their present scale.

That afternoon, Feng Xiaoxiao came to school. What astonished Wei Zhao was that she was perfectly calm—at least, little anger could be read in her face. Just as on the occasion when he had pissed all over her head, nothing showed on the surface.

Wei Zhao reckoned she was brewing her next scheme of revenge. He felt himself greatly wronged. Why must this girl always make trouble for him and no one else? If he could not afford to cross her, could he not at least keep out of her way?

Fine—since you have come, I will go! Wei Zhao simply skipped the afternoon's classes outright. He had just received a call from Guan Xuemin: Fatty Lai had completed the procedures for transferring the building's ownership, and the moment Wei Zhao gave the nod, it could be transferred into Guan Xin's name.

The approvals for the several medicines Guan Xuemin had submitted had come through as well. In the pharmaceutical world, with Guan Xuemin's connections, such matters were nothing difficult—mere formalities. The pharmaceutical company's launch was at hand; the only thing still lacking was a professional manager.

Wei Zhao seized this chance to go to Guan Xuemin's place and discuss the pharmaceutical company. As for Feng Xiaoxiao, she could stay at school by herself.

Watching Wei Zhao leave, the corner of Feng Xiaoxiao's mouth lifted into a smile so faint it was almost imperceptible. She could not have wished for Wei Zhao to be gone. She wanted a good long talk with Kang Xiaobo about Wei Zhao's weaknesses!

Clearly, her random flailing was getting her nowhere. Wei Zhao's skill far exceeded her imagination, and his reflexes were swift almost beyond belief.

To be able, after the firecracker's fuse had been lit, to calmly take it off himself and tie it onto her body, knotting it fast with a dead knot—such speed of reaction left Feng Xiaoxiao profoundly shaken.

Sitting on the thick chair cushion, Feng Xiaoxiao poked Kang Xiaobo in the back with her finger. "Are you free? Tell me about your boss."

Kang Xiaobo had witnessed the scene of Feng Xiaoxiao being blown up by firecrackers the day before, and he had been puzzling over what had really happened. Curiosity had made him want to ask, yet he had not known how to broach it with Feng Xiaoxiao—and now she had come to him of her own accord.

"What happened to you yesterday? How did the firecrackers blow up on you?" Kang Xiaobo had not been standing near Wei Zhao the day before, so he had missed the earlier scene.

"Just carelessness. Never mind that—why don't you tell me about Wei Zhao?" Feng Xiaoxiao plainly did not want to dwell on the firecrackers. "You saw it too. The moment I arrived, Wei Zhao left. He is plainly avoiding me!" She gazed at Kang Xiaobo with such wounded reproach, so utterly pitiable, like a wife cast off by her husband, that no one could help but feel for her.

"The—the boss has other business. He isn't avoiding you on purpose." Kang Xiaobo knew Wei Zhao had gone to look into the pharmaceutical company, but he could not tell Feng Xiaoxiao that; the company was still confidential, and Kang Xiaobo was not so oblivious as to lose sight of the larger picture.

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